It wasn't the strongest UFA crop the NHL has ever seen this off-season, which is why guys like David Clarkson were cashing in with major long-term contracts. Complicating matters is a dropping salary cap that has caused a few teams to buy-out NHLers and a few others not to shop too seriously for bodies.

As a result, even though there wasn't a lot of elite talent available, there is actully more than a few useful NHLers still looking for work. There's so many, in fact, that you could probably build a whole team out of them that could at least compete on a nightly basis. Take a gander:

That's not great. The blueline in particular is underwhelming. Still, Im willing to bet we've seen a few worse line-ups put together on purpose by NHL GM's in the past few years. Added amusement: this roster would probably struggle to make the cap floor as well.

It funny when I first saw the headline for this article I immediately thought of Edmonton needing defenders then I looked closer... Gilbert... Fistric... Hahah. If they think a Top. 6 of J. Schultz, Smid, M. Schultz, Petry, Ference, Belov is getting them into the playoffs they are mistaken.

It's funny that you mention that. I was juust looking at an article on TSN about the Fistric signing (ANA) and several Oiler fans in the comment section were unabashedly pumping the tires of their D-Core. Apparently adding a Stanley Cup Champ in Ference and the "best defensemen in the KHL" in Belov makes them one of the best defensive teams in the west.

Even though it's Oilers fans using the "Best in the KHL/Best not in NHL" claims, it still makes me cringe to hear those words.

Bottom 10 team, but play for draft picks, ship a couple guys out at the deadline, and this team becomes like other teams looking for a star at the draft. This is a great example of the NHL being able to handle expansion, because this team, plus some young players from a non-existent farm, would be an NHL franchise that wouldn't look out of place.

I think its just me but Peter Mueller really gets too much hype as a player!! Everyone still thinks of him as the player he could have been if it weren't for injuries and a lacking work ethic he might have been great. However he is not great he is a third liner period. At least he comes relatively with a small cap hit ($1,725,000 last year) but Roman Cervenka put up better numbers than him last year. If the Flames are playing money puck this season we should pick him up if we want to rebuild properly with a Top. 3 pick and give young guys a chance we should stay away.

It funny when I first saw the headline for this article I immediately thought of Edmonton needing defenders then I looked closer... Gilbert... Fistric... Hahah. If they think a Top. 6 of J. Schultz, Smid, M. Schultz, Petry, Ference, Belov is getting them into the playoffs they are mistaken.

I couldn't agree more. But don't worry the TSN spin machine will be going full bore telling us how the Oilers will be a top playoff seed in the west this year. Good luck getting there with that blue line haha.